Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125803
. , o CHAPARRALS HOWLING IN THE NIGHT o ~ u o ~ w Z W ..J U >U At dawn: '"I made it, honeyl All 220 miles of It. Hotcha!'" "My hero." by Larry Langley RABBIT DRY LAKE, CAL., Oct. I, 1972 - Perhaps the best compliment a rider can give an event is that it was fun and super fun is what everyone said about the Chaparrals Coyote Derby. Despite 14 long hours on the trail covering 220 miles, the riders were really enthusiastic with their praise as they hit the finish line. Even the super competitive A riders came in with big smiles on their faces. The course started at Rabbit Dry Lake, headed up into the San Bernardino Mountains, turned back down to the desert tIuu Rattlesnake Canyon (Big Bear Racers remember?) and out across the desert to the Slash X ranch near Barstow. From there the course reversed and ran som,ewhat backwards. Jay Tullis, General Manager of Whittier Honda agreed to let me ride with him to the mountain gas stop and' observe how tJ:iey keep on time at nigh t. Preparing to ride a night enduro is a lot more than just throwing 9n headJigh ts and tailights I found oul. Most riders had trick light setups, both for more trail ligh ting and instrumen t IIgh ring. A few even had blinking Iigh ts taped to their helmets to be more visible from the rear in the inevitable dust. Some bikes were equipped with quartz iodine headlights whicb really lit up the countryside. Finally midnigh t arrived and the bikes started leaving. While waitin~ on **CARABELA HODAKA '* STEEN Klocker's I,ll .11:"'''''''''' \, ... lO\U'll1110l\\IO!f)lHHII \\IlUI" StLND 1St rOR (AT ALOC,l 1>1 "'1(,"-11), IH 11-1 ·\'0 1.:11',\II~LI) SOUND CONTROL 2 & 4 STROKE PIPES COMPETITION SILENCERS FRAME AND PIPE REPAIR HELl ARC AND MILLING •** ******** .. JIM FISHBACK'Sh * super rings : ~~'rIJ"" : , .. .. .. DKW.~HODKA. BMW Send $3.00 f~r Strokln' It Too$hlrt 9008 Sierra Ave'lIiiIflI .. Fontana, Calif. "''!J::Jj'' (714) 822-2252 .. U.S. Dist. for Trelleborg Motocross tires Torsten' Hallman special design leathers & racing equipment. FOR ALL FACTORY PISTON SIZES ASK YOUR LOCAL DEALER ~ (714) 460-6234 (714) 460-1402 GLENDALE. CAL. For dealer info. PHONE 213·Z4l·~n5 ~.. jP : ~ORSTEN, HALLMAN••~~!" I RACING INC. tl: y . . . .· 100cc dyke., Bultaco 125, Bultaco 250, DKW & Sachs 125, Penton 125 - ----...,. .- .. :-.-..- -•• - 4366 E. LaPalma Anaheim, Ca. 92806 Tel. (714) 993·2602 - ••• *********** **. now for-Hodaka - : SfRDXEBfrl~tl}} : Sales Parts Senice' : not only unbreakabla, but chrome plated for extra long life too!! 0- Triumph : of Fontana : .- ..,. . . -....- * * * * * .. • : Yama. a & : • S. YICTORY Midway Ave .• Cerrito~, Ca. 9070 J (213) 924-2389' STROKIN'IT factory replacement piston rings 1750 ~ SMU't!~LER JOURNEYMAN TRAILERS 959A W. 17th 5t./ Costa M .... CA. 92627 poppy --~ ....?~-(0\ li.ll624 (714) 646-6533 - SHE WILL TELL YOU WHERE TO FIND YOUR NEAREST CAR ABELA DEALER. A complete travel trailer designed to carry 5 bikes. (714) 827·7427 Precise to .000l5-inch! Complete with MonotracA 's proprietary Labyrinth seal system, all new American bearings for $130. exchange. FAST Service - even same day request for '5awasaki 3's. (m) 170-520- rnoeorcya... corporac6on P.o. Box 444, Cyoress CA. 90630 KAWASAKI 3'sl GUARANTEED un~ \....,. Susie ~L{{ ";"'~ ~., "11.": .. ..-'1-1£ • £ for all two-stroke... soeciafizing in if "':i'\ ((/1/ 6624 Atlantic, Bell, Ca. (213) 581-3983 CRANKSHAFT Rebuilding• •• -;~ • SALES & SERVICE 115'73 Vanowen, No. Hollywood, Ca. (213) 764-8674 26 years experience avoid waking the people camped, and then hit the first check. Leav.ing the check and running for awhile I was thinking that these night enduros weren't so rough after all when all of a sudden we were off the fire road on a rocky trail and I was hanging on for dear life. Next thing I knew' we turned downwards and I had the ride of my life going down a steep hairy downhill towards the gas check at Highway 18. I must have passed 5 or 6 riders trying to . keep up Jay and somehow I managed to re:ach the bottom and safety without crashing. Sitting there and watching the following riders come down that hill was really an experience. It looked like a chinese new year dragon snaking its --~ ~' . ,'- !; 'I'lll·/j/f~r'" Busqvarna Nick Nicholson Motors * ~0'" the line a member of the Chaparrals checked our bikes to make sure the spark arrestor was intact. At last it was OUf turn and off we went down a fire road into the darkness. It was bard to see with the dust hanging in the air but I soon learned that it was best to stay as close to the rider in front of you as possible for the best 1risibility. Soon we turned up toward the mountains and what a fantastic sigh t it was as the long line of ligh ts in fran t of uS! made their way up the winding fire road! Soon we were up in the timber I:!ut it was too dark for sigh tseeing, and 1 was busy trying keep on the slippery fire road without crashing. We passed a campground and slowed to 5 mph to •~ write or call: 5345 Timk." St .. La Mt'Sa, Cal. 92041. * 600 ACRES OF CYCLE TRAILS * REST ROOMS and HOT SHOW'ERS * 152 CAMPER HOOK-UPS * OVERNIGHT CAMPSITE ..•$3.50 (Includes all passengers & 1 bike) 50 * DAY RIDERS $1.00 * 25 MI. NO. of SAN BERNARDINO on INTERSTATE 15 (take Oak Hill Rd. Exit) * FOR INFORMATION CALL (714) 244·2422 * OPEN EVERY DAY 4,000 ft. elevation * DAY ViSiTORS ••~........;...r;.;;:~"';:.ft.;;.;;.;;a~.:.:. ;;;;;;;.;;.;;.i:.=.;;;~;-:-:,.;;.;;.;i:I. ~.. ~!"\II-.!IlI"""""""' ;; "_"'__,, ._.•.•~•._~_~_~_..._._._.iJI